o radiant dawn

Here's a bit of Catholic trivia for you:  the "O Antiphons".   Click on the link for more specific information.  The O Antiphons are prayed during Evening Prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours from December 17 to December 23.  Each "O" is followed by a title (in Latin) that relates to Jesus and was found in the prophecies of Isaiah.  As an "added bonus", when the first letter of each title when taken in reverse order, spells the Latin for "tomorrow He comes". 

Anyway, the Antiphon for today was "O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice:  come, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death."  I wonder if it is an accident that an antiphon that speaks of radiant light was chosen for the shortest day of the year?

As I drove to Mass this mornng at 6:15 or so, the dawn was anything but radiant.  It was foggy and still dark, and I wondered where the extra daylight that we had a month or so ago had gone!  The good news is that the days will get longer from here on out...